As can be seen by the extent, 87 cubic feet, these files are voluminous. What this means is that Thornburgh, over his eight years as Governor, was incredibly busy. Nearly every day there were multiple events, each generally needing informational items, such as: schedule, background information on the organization and attendees, correspondence, occasionally clippings, frequently memoranda regarding the purpose of the occasion, invitations, the Governor's remarks, seating and other details of the room and its setup. In other words, Thornburgh went well prepared by staff. What this also says is that the research potential in these files is extensive. However, it is important to note that some appointments may only have a single sheet of contact information, where there was perhaps only a simple meeting with someone the Governor knew, for example. His mandate of "no surprises" applied to these files as well as many other situations, which in general accounts for the detailed information in these Governor's briefs, now referred to as event files.

The files are arranged alphabetically according to the person or group that met with the governor. The dates cover the entire two terms as governor, 1979-1987. Most of these files contain detailed background information prior to such as a meeting, tour, or visit to an association, city, manufacturer's plant, or person. The events consist of items such as: conferences, courtesy calls, dinners, fundraisers, interviews, luncheons, annual meetings, press conferences, receptions, tours, and visits. In addition, there may be information added to the files subsequently, with assessments of the occasion, notes taken by the Governor, news clippings, additional correspondence, or programs and other items from the event. It is fair to say that these files contain extensive material, far beyond the simple invitation one might expect.

The use of abbreviations has been unavoidable in these files. Researchers are encouraged to make use of the lists of abbreviations available for the collection.